Multi-level marketing has touched us all – whether it be purchasing beauty products, essential oils, or health supplements from a friend through social media, or receiving an invitation to join a team of seemingly successful people working their “side hustle.” But multi-level marketing is now getting some additional multi-level attention, both in the media and in the court room.
Continue Reading Multi-Level Marketing Gets Multi-Level Attention
The Children’s Advertising Review Unit, a part of BBB National Programs, released its revised Children’s Advertising Guidelines earlier this month. These new Guidelines will go into effect in January 2022 and contain some notable changes.
Continue Reading Children’s Advertising Review Unit Issues Revised Guidelines for Advertising to Children
In the US, NIL rights (name, image, and likeness) are grouped under the right of publicity, which generally “prevents the unauthorized commercial use of an individual’s name, likeness, or other recognizable aspects of one’s persona. It gives an individual the exclusive right to license the use of their identity for commercial promotion.”
Continue Reading The Intersection of Retail and NIL Statutes
In response to a challenge by animal rights organization Animal Outlook, the NAD has determined that Butterball, LLC should discontinue several ad claims and slogans for its “all natural” turkeys.
Continue Reading NAD Clarifies Stance on “All Natural” Claims
At the Federal Trade Commission’s July 1 meeting, it finalized a new “Made in USA” Rule that was almost two decades in the making. The FTC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in June 2020 and received 700 comments from stakeholders. During that time, the FTC has aggressively policed Made in USA claims (through an enforcement policy statement), settling a historic, million dollar follow-on Made in USA enforcement action and obtaining a six-figure settlement with an online retailer.
Continue Reading FTC Finalizes “Made in USA” Rule in Partisan Split
Gennex Media LLC, a customizable product online marketplace, and its sole officer and shareholder Akil Kurji, have agreed to an FTC consent decree resolving allegations the company falsely claimed its Brandnex novelty products were “Made in USA,” “USA MADE,” and “Manufactured Right Here in America!” when, in many instances, they were wholly imported from China.
Continue Reading Retailers Beware: “You can’t say your products are made in the USA when [they are] made elsewhere.”
The FTC settled charges with mobile advertising company Tapjoy, Inc., on allegations that the company failed to provide promised rewards in exchange for completed activities such as the payment of money, disclosure of sometimes-sensitive personal information, or registration for “free trial” marketing offers.
Continue Reading FTC Pursues Advertising Network that Failed to Deliver In-Game Rewards in Exchange for Payment or Personal Information
Two putative class actions recently filed in the Northern District of California preview a new theory of consumer claims relating to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Rather than rely on alleged omissions or representations about health risks, the plaintiffs claim that they relied on marketing statements that indicated the products they purchased were disposable and would completely degrade over time and that the presence of PFAS in the products means those marketing statements were false.
Continue Reading Is a Wave of PFAS Consumer Class Actions on the Horizon?
In April 2020, the National Advertising Division rolled out a Fast-Track SWIFT option for certain cases under review.
Continue Reading NAD Unveils its First Three Cases Under New SWIFT Fast-Track Process
The National Advertising Division has recommended that Factor Nutrition Labs, LLC, discontinue its claim that its Focus Factor brain health supplement is “America’s #1 Clinically Studied and Patented Brain Health Formula.” NAD’s decision follows a challenge by Quincy BioScience, Inc., the maker of Prevagen brain health dietary supplement.
Continue Reading Making an Unsubstantiated Brain Health Claim? Think Again.